FX picked up a second season of “Fargo,” 10 episodes with all new characters and actors and a new crime story for fall 2015, as well as a fifth season of “Louie,” seven episodes for late Spring 2015.

Regarding “Fargo,” the second season will be a prequel of sorts, set in 1979 Sioux Falls, S.D., with young Lou Solverson (played by Keith Carradine in season 1) just back from Vietnam.

Noting that FX had the second-most Emmy nominations behind HBO, FX CEO John Landgraf made additional programming announcements:
Sister channel FXX is performing well and poised to soar with the addition of “The Simpsons” (552 episodes) in first-run syndication. Despite his car accident, The Tracy Morgan Project will go forward, whenever Morgan is able to return. The comedy “Man Seeking Woman” with Jay Baruchel is coming next year; “The Comedians” with Josh Gad and Billy Crystal, and Denis Leary comedy “Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll” with John Corbett, too.

The cast and crew of “Tyrant” was moved to Turkey due to unrest in Middle East.
Guillermo del Toro’s “The Strain” is the biggest drama launch in FX history.
Landgraf said he remains “bullish” on comedies “Married” and “You’re the Worst,” which have not be critically well received. He argued that “it takes a while with comedies that have a unique tone.”
“American Horror Story: Freak Show” production began last week in New Orleans, set in the 1950s. Landgraf characterized the tone as not quite as brooding as “Asylum,” with a bit more camp.

Landgraf thinks now that the tone of “Fargo” has been set, the network could do the show without a big-name star.

Here’s the network’s release on “The Simpsons” marathon and Simpsons World app, an incredibly immersive experience:

LOS ANGELES, July 21, 2014 – Cowabunga! In celebration of its landmark acquisition of the exclusive cable and authenticated non-linear VOD rights to legendary animated comedy The Simpsons, FXX will launch a record-breaking marathon of the series on August 21, 2014. The marathon will begin August 21, 2014 at 10 AM ET/PT and will conclude September 1, 2014 at 12 AM ET/PT, making it the longest-running marathon in television history. For 24 hours a day, over the course of the 12 days, FXX will air 552 episodes of The Simpsons (through Season 25) as well as The Simpsons Movie (airing after episode 400), in chronological order.

“Simpsons World” will offer a unique and personalized Simpsons experience for both casual and super fans by allowing users to interact with premium content in unprecedented ways. For the first time ever, all authenticated viewers will have instant and on-demand access to every single Simpsons episode ever, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via SimpsonsWorld.com, and FXNOW apps for iPhone, iPad, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Android phones and tablets, Smart TVs, and additional set-tops devices.

Joanne Ostrow has been watching TV since before "reality" required quotation marks. "Hill Street Blues" was life-changing. If Dickens, Twain or Agatha Christie were alive today, they'd be writing for television. And proud of it.